Heavenly Homemakers

Encouraging women in homemaking, healthy eating and parenting

Trying To Figure Out What to Cook or Bake? Check Out Our New “Search By Ingredient” Feature!

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I am doing a little dance (don’t picture it) with excitement over what I’m about to share with you! Our hope is that the new feature we just completed for our site will be super helpful for all of you.

Introducing, the Heavenly Homemaker’s Recipe Search By Ingredient Box. It looks like this:

search by ingredients

You will find this lovely search item over on the top, right hand side-bar of our site, just waiting to help you figure out what to make for dinner. Or breakfast. Or snack. Or dessert. Or potluck. Or party. Or brunch. Indeed, the search box will do your thinking for you and help you plan!

How does this work? You simply tell the search box what ingredients you have on hand to use – and it will pull up recipes from our site that will hopefully fit your needs. Easy as that.

For example, say you need something quick for dinner. You know off the top of your head that you have chicken, cheese, and peppers in your fridge, but you can’t think of what you should make with those ingredients. Simply type in “chicken, cheese, peppers”  and three great recipe options pop up for you to scroll through. Or what if you need to use up some apples – and you know you have oats and sucanat that you could use to make some sort of dessert or breakfast? Type in “apples, oats, sucanat” and instantly, several recipes will appear for you.

Now, smart as this box is, it’s not a miracle worker. So if you type in “fish, cocoa, tomatoes” – it might roll its eyes and say, “Are you kidding me?” But as I’ve been testing it, most of the time I’ve had very relevant recipes pull up.

The search box won’t work if I don’t have any recipes that include every ingredient you list. So, if no recipes come up for you, try narrowing your search to the basics. It may take some trial and error until we all get used to how this works. But how wonderful that we can take some pressure off by letting this search box do some of our thinking for us. And it’s always fun to find new recipe ideas, right?

Okay, head over to the top right of the Heavenly Homemakers Site and start searching for delicious food to make!

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What You’ve Always Never Wanted to Know About Me

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Throughout this week, I’ve been trying to answer questions that I receive frequently. So far, I’ve tackled Why I Don’t Have a Sams or Costco Membership, How I Store Fruits and Vegetables to Keep Them Fresh, and Why We Don’t Eat Many Sandwiches For Lunch. This led me to re-read my FAQs page which is located in the drop down menu bar across the top of my website. I decided it needed updating. I also decided I should share it with you here to answer all those questions about me that you’ve been dying to know – even though I’m absolutely sure that many of you have laid awake at night wondering about none of this.

Heavenly Homemakers Frequently Asked Questions

HOW do you get everything done? It seems like with homeschooling, cooking from scratch, cleaning and keeping up with your website…you must never sleep.

I do work hard – and I bet you do too. I never get everything done but yes, I sleep. All work and no sleep makes Laura completely unproductive and ridiculously ridiculous when trying to carry on a conversation. So how do I attempt to keep up with all my responsibilities?

Well, for starters, I haven’t cleaned our toilets in about three years. I find that this frees up my time to be enjoyed in other ways – like writing and cooking.

Another way I get quite a bit of work done each day is that I tend to work rather fast – so much so that a perfectionist might watch me work and be very annoyed. I hardly ever measure ingredients when I cook, I don’t care if something I’m making looks perfect, I often leave cabinet doors open, and most days my hair is pulled back into a ponytail which means I can complete my “try to at least look presentable in case the UPS man shows up” routine in approximately 2.8 minutes.

Our four boys are not babies anymore, so I don’t have to watch them constantly to make sure they don’t put light bulbs into their mouths. Plus, all of my boys are old enough to do a lot of work to help out around the house. For the record, they do a fine job scrubbing our toilets. Wow, and here you thought… Have mercy.

How do you pronounce your kid’s names? And, how did you come up with them?

We chose unique names for our kids because when we were in college there were so many people named Matt and Laura. Plus, when I taught school, I felt bad for the kids having to be called by their last name since they were in a classroom with three other kids that shared their first name. We also wanted Bible names for our kids, just because we did. So, unique Bible names it is.

Our four boys are:

Asa (ay-suh)….was a good king (one of the few). You can read about him in 1 Kings 15:8-24.

Justus (jus-tus)…spent time with Jesus and was considered as a replacement for Judas as apostle. (Acts 1:23)

Elias (ee-lie-us)…is another form of the name Elijah.

Malachi (mal-uh-kie)…a prophet, the last book of the Old Testament.

While we’re on the subject, my name, Laura, is pronounced (lah-rah). Like the music note, la la la. It’s not hard, really. Most people pronounce it (lor-ah) because that’s what they are used to when they see L-a-u-r-a. However, my mom was from the south, and she always loved the name Laura, pronounced the apparent southern way, Lahrah. Almost everyone calls me Lora and I always answer to Lora and I don’t fault anyone for calling me Lora because they just aren’t used to it. But if/when people do pronounce my name correctly, I truly do appreciate it and love it. Just a little something to keep in mind if I ever meet you in person, you say Lahra, and I tear up a little bit.

For the record, Matt has said it correctly from the night of our very first date and I’m pretty sure hearing him say Lahra in the college student center is what made me fall in love with him right then and there.

And speaking of Matt, so that he doesn’t feel left out, his name is pronounced (mat).

Is it loud at your house with all those boys?

I’m sorry, did you say something?

How much do you spend on groceries each month? How do you eat such healthy food on such a tight budget?

You can get an idea of what our real food grocery budget was like a few years ago by reading my Getting Real with Food series, and my Feeding the Family series. At this point though, with two teenage and two pre-teen boys – all four of whom are very active and have huge appetites, growing feet, and long, long legs – I really can’t give you an exact grocery dollar amount. I do my best to feed us real food economically, and I believe cooking from scratch and buying in bulk saves us hundreds of dollars each month. As for how much I spend each month, it varies depending on our meat supply and our grocery purchase needs. But let’s just say we go through a lot of groceries. A lot of groceries.  A shocking amount of much food. Okay, you get the point.

I want to start feeding my family a healthy, real food diet. Where do I start?

This is a loaded question, and one I hear multiple times daily. That’s why I created a very inexpensive, absolutely pressure free, and completely thorough eCourse to walk you through this process of changing your kitchen into a Real Food Kitchen. Check out You Can Do This! The First Five Steps to a Real Food Kitchen.

What do you feel are the most important aspects of healthy eating?

Another loaded question, which I answer in a total of 31 posts. Wow, someone has a lot of words, doesn’t she? Yeah well, we’re talking about healthy eating here – one of my favorite subjects. Read my 31 Days of Real Food Reality posts to learn what I feel is most important, and how I keep it simple!

Which do you love more – butter or jars?

Oh now, you know I just love me a jar full of butter. I store almost everything in jars, and without a doubt, butter makes everything better…or my name isn’t Laura (Lahra).

So now your turn.  Tell me something about you. How do you get everything done every day? How many kids do you have? What’s your grocery budget like? And I really must know – how do you pronounce your name???

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Just Bought the eBook Overload and Couldn’t Stop Reading!

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Did you buy the eBook Overload Package Deal yet? Here’s what Kelley said after her purchase a few days ago:

“Just bought this and am devouring all the great information. I can’t wait to try these recipes! I also bought your hardcover recipe book and can’t wait to get it in my hands!”

Linda had this to say:

“Just bought your ebook overload pkg. Couldn’t stop reading! Can’t wait to try your recipes. My Zaycon chicken breast arrive Saturday so I will be using your chicken recipes a lot!! Thanks!”

Yay – I love hearing that you are getting such good use out of these resources! This package includes ten of our real food recipe eBooks – and we’ve knocked a big chunk off the price tag. Get it this weekend and spend time getting fun new recipe ideas.

eBook Overload sm

You’ll find more information about this package here.

Heavenly Homemakers Ebook Overload

$51.49
$40.00
$20.00
(through Feb 19 only)

Add to Cart

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Peppermint Cream ~ A Non-Guilty Pleasure in Coffee, Hot Cocoa, and Crio Bru

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Peppermint Cream on Crio Bru

Yum

I super love this pick-me up and treat in the afternoons while I’m working at the computer. If you haven’t tried the Peppermint Cream recipe I shared at Christmas time, you really must take a few minutes to whip some up (literally). It has zero sugar, is all real, and it tastes delicious in hot drinks.

My favorite use for Peppermint Cream is in and on a hot mug of Crio Bru. What is Crio Bru, you ask? It is ground cocoa beans, which you brew just like coffee. Yup, straight chocolate, no sugar. Sounds bitter? Actually, it really is delicious all on its own without sugar. (You can also doctor it up with maple syrup and milk and make it into the most delicious hot chocolate you’ve ever had.)  I love it all by itself – but topped with this Peppermint Cream? Well, it is amazing. Rich, hot, creamy, and all real. Delicious!

I order Crio Bru from Amazon, iHerb, or Azure Standard. It’s a little pricey, so I definitely consider it a treat. But it’s a no-sugar treat that warms me from the inside out. Love it!

Peppermint Cream

Have you tried Crio Bru? And more importantly, have you tried Peppermint Cream?  Yum, yum, yum, and then some.

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31 Days of Real Food Reality Re-Cap

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Thank you all for your wonderful comments and interaction during our 31 Days of Real Food Reality! In case you’d like to go back and look through any of the posts for encouragement and information, I’ve listed them all for you here. (Now, what in the world should we do in February?)  :)

31 Days sidebar

Day 1   The Reality is, We Can’t Do This Without God’s Help
Day 2   One Step at a Time
Day 3   Let’s Talk About Fat
Day 4   God is Bigger Than a Free Range Chicken
Day 5   Real Food Menu Plan – Be Flexible
Day 6   Food is Nourishment. What a Concept.
Day 7   Tropical Traditions Real Food Package Giveaway
Day 8   Real Food Reality Resource Package Discount
Day 9    Stop Calling it Health Food
Day 10  Cheeseburger Soup for $1 Per Person
Day 11  What Healthy Food Should I Have On Hand?
Day 12  Real Food Menu Plan – Keep it Simple
Day 13  31 Real Food Breakfast Ideas
Day 14  Focus on Stocking Your Kitchen With Real Food Ingredients
Day 15  Sugar Should Be a Treat
Day 16  How to Always Have Fruits and Vegetables to Serve With a Meal
Day 17  Let’s Not Make This Difficult – Easy Orange Chicken
Day 18  You Are What You Drink
Day 19  Real Food Menu Plan – Branching Out and Eating a Variety
Day 20  How to Pack a Healthy Lunch
Day 21  Making Buttermilk, Kefir, and Yogurt is Easy
Day 22  Make Real Food Mixes to Save Time and Money
Day 23  Chocolate Cheesecake Pie – Real Food Ingredients Make Real Good Treats
Day 24  Want to Eat Right? Plan Ahead.
Day 25  You CAN Save Money on Whole Foods
Day 26  Real Food Menu Plan – Have Fun!
Day 27  What I Learned in Laura’s Kitchen (a Real Food Reality Guest Post)
Day 28  Drink Your Nourishment
Day 29  How to Roast Vegetables
Day 30  How to Feed Picky Eaters Healthy Food
Day 31  Real Food: Does It Even Matter?

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How to Roast Vegetables {31 Days of Real Food Reality ~ Day 29}

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31 Days 300

Yum

Vegetables just keep coming up during this series, don’t they? They are the best real food out there, so I can’t say enough about the importance of working them into our diets in a big way!

When I mentioned a couple of weeks ago on our menu plan that I was determined to make and eat cauliflower that week – you all really came through on some great ideas for ways to prepare it! Many of you told me that I had to try roasting the cauliflower. That definitely seemed like the easiest first idea to try.

Here’s what I’ve learned since then:  Not only is it a delicious way to eat vegetables, it’s also one of the easiest ways to prepare them. Roasting offers a slight variety in taste and texture, compared to steaming the vegetables as I usually do. I’m loving this, and can’t wait to continue roasting more varieties of vegetables as we work to expand our menu options.

If you are taking baby steps in your real food journey, I encourage you to try roasting vegetables to serve with your meals. Healthy eating doesn’t get much easier!

roasted cauliflower

How to Roast Vegetables:

1. Wash the fresh vegetables.
2. Cut vegetables into small pieces. (The smaller they are, the easier they are to pop into your mouth!)
3. Place vegetable pieces into a casserole dish.
4. Drizzle on 1-2 Tablespoons of olive oil or melted coconut oil.
5. Sprinkle generously with sea salt.
6. Stir veggies to coat with olive oil and salt.
7. Bake in a 375° oven for 15-20 minutes or until veggies are lightly browned and tender.

It really is that simple. Makes me wonder why I haven’t tried this before.

Carrots, broccoli, squash, asparagus…what else would be a tasty roasted veggie?

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Drink Your Nourishment {31 Days of Real Food Reality ~ Day 28}

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Three meals. Every single day.  Plus snacks. I’m over it! Please pass me a bag of chips.

Oh yes – I’ve been there. Some days, I’m still there. Can’t we just get a little break from all the food needs?

Whether you’re just starting your journey to healthy eating, or you’ve been on the journey for quite a while – being sure to get plenty of nourishment day after day after day can become overwhelming if we allow it. But don’t fall back on a bag of chips in your frustrated moments. After all, you would crush the bag of chips, and wouldn’t that be a shame? You would also just be filling a hole, not giving your body anything it needs to thrive, and likely, you’ll still be hungry – because our bodies crave nutrients! And sometimes Doritos.  But truly, the more we fill ourselves with real food, the less our bodies will ask for the junk. I promise (says the former Pepsi addict).

Today, I want to combine two thoughts that I’ve shared within this Real Food Reality series:  Food is Nourishment. What a Concept. and You Are What You Drink.

It is very fun to put together delicious, nourishing drinks. These drinks can be used as a meal or a snack. The variety of options is limitless. They are filling. You can get creative. You can use what you have on hand. You can use what you find on sale.

Feeling overwhelmed with ways to offer your family nourishment? Try a fun drink option! Here are some of our family’s favorite, nourishing drinks:

Warm, Nourishing Drinks

Warm Chocolate Soother

Warm Chocolate Soother

Chocolate Mint Soother

Chocolate Mint Soother

Warm Pumpkin Custard

Warm_Pumpkin_Custard

Warm Vanilla Soother

Warm Vanilla Soother

Cold, Nourishing Drinks

Creamy Orange Cooler

Creamy Orange Cooler

Pineapple Mango Smoothies

Pineapple Mango Smoothie

All Kinds of Smoothies

smoothies

Pineapple-Orange Slushies

Pineapple Orange Slushies

Strawberry Peach Slushy

Strawberry Peach Slushy

Chocolate Milkshakes

Chocolate Milkshakes

Strawberry Milkshakes (substitute another variety of frozen fruit if you like)

Strawberry Milkshake

 

What are your favorite nourishing drinks?

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What I Learned in Laura’s Kitchen {A Real Food Reality Guest Post From My Friend Charlene}

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My friend Charlene visited our family last summer with her three kids. I asked her to share her perspective on our Real Food Reality. I think you’ll enjoy reading what she shares! Here’s Char…

I had the huge privilege of spending several weeks at Laura’s house this last summer. I got to sit in her kitchen and watch her prepare meals, plan menus, and try new recipes. I truly wish every one of you could do the same…mostly because hanging out with Laura is a joy, but also because watching her do what she does? It’s inspiring! By the end of our trip, I knew I could make some simple changes that would have a HUGE impact. It’s not like I haven’t been reading Laura’s posts for, well, forever, or that I didn’t “know” the information in my head… but sitting and watching (and eating the food) made such a difference in how I felt about making important changes.

So, here are a few things I learned:

1. Laura really DOES have a hard time talking and cooking at the same time.  She and my daughter made muffins together, but they were not quite as fluffy as they were originally supposed to be because they left something out. We were talking, the boys were in and out of the kitchen (I have two boys, to add to Laura’s four, so it was BUSY), and Martha was “helping.”Ok.. ok.. ANYONE would have a hard time getting a recipe correct under those circumstances. But it really did turn out just fine, because the muffins were still yummy – just not airy.

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2. Whole, REAL food tastes better than anything you could ever get at a restaurant.  My family typically eats “out” a LOT. I promise you that the food we ate at Laura’s house was nourishing, yummy, and so much better for us than what we eat when we go out. My children loved it. They were anxious for meal times to see what Miss Laura was going to prepare. They tried a LOT of new things, and most everything was a big hit. My personal favorite? It’s hard to choose because everything was so, so good, but Laura’s Thousand Island Dressing is to die for. I would eat salad at every meal (well, maybe not breakfast), just to get more of this dressing. I am not much of a “dipper”, but I would dip any veggie in this stuff and sigh with happiness.

3. Every meal we ate at Laura’s house (EVERY meal!) included raw fruits and veggies.  My kids LOVED this! Blueberries, strawberries, cantaloupe, oranges in the morning for breakfast… all those and apple slices, carrot sticks, broccoli, and more for lunch and dinner. None of it needed to be cooked to be eaten, and it’s SO EASY. Need to add more fruits and veggies to your meals? Go raw!

How to Serve Fruits and Veggies

4. Butter really IS our friend.  (Read more about this here.)  Butter makes everything taste better. Put down the margarine and don’t ever use it again. Really. (I actually already knew this before our visit, but it’s so important, and the food prepared with butter was SO good, it bears repeating in my list).

5. A plan is a good thing.  I’m a list maker in my business and keeping track of kids’ activities, but for some reason I often don’t take the time to plan menus or make thought-out grocery lists. My goal for 2014 is to change that, because it just makes life easier and more organized if you have a menu and a list. I want to work towards never again asking the question at 5 p.m., “What are we going to eat tonight”?? And, really – we don’t have to work that hard. Laura has tons of menus already pre-done. Ok, that’s a resolution I can take off my list. Just download Laura’s menus, and hit the store running. And if you were to visit her kitchen, you’d see that Laura has her weekly menu up on the fridge, so she can look at it any time and see what her plan is, or revise her plan based on last-minute changes in daily life.

6. It’s not complicated. It’s really not.  Laura is a master at making wholesome food for her family (and friends), and doing it quickly and easily. It’s her passion, and she’s GOOD at it. But, don’t be intimidated. This really was the most important lesson I took away from the few weeks sitting at her feet. You and I can do this too, because it’s just really not that hard. Our family is busy. Crazy busy. Three kids, school projects, karate, dance classes, home-based business (or two). We eat on the fly a lot, often making poor choices because of poor planning, and a mistaken idea that it’s “too      hard” or too much work to fix healthy, real food meals for my family.

But, if I make a few changes here and there? I can do this! When I am making a casserole – I will make two, so I always have a back-up in the freezer. Need a salad to go with the meal? Cut up some lettuce and put it in a bowl (bonus points if I cut up a tomato too!). Prepare a ton of the Thousand Island Dressing ahead of time, so I can have it with my lettuce in a bowl. Buy a bunch of raw fruits and veggies      every week, wash them, cut them, prepare them all at once, and then pull them out at EVERY meal. Make a plan. Make a grocery list, and stick with it. Get my kids to help with easy prep work (like fruits and veggies prep, so they have healthy snacks on the go).

Seriously – such  simple changes that will make a HUGE difference, and if *I* can do it, so can you!

Note from Laura:  The rest of you should come visit some time! But be warned. Charlene is right. I’m really not very good at talking and cooking at the same time.  :)

 

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You CAN Save Money on Whole Foods! {31 Days of Real Food Reality ~ Day 25}

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Let’s eat right and save money too!

When we were first changing over from processed foods and white flour/white sugar products, I was so discouraged at first when I saw the costs of healthier foods. I used to have so much fun shopping with coupons and finding good deals at the store. Now, it seemed, I would need to throw all my coupons away and maybe stop wearing shoes or paying the heat bill so that we could afford groceries. Healthy food seemed to cost twice or three times as much as I was used to paying!

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A few tears and several months of research later, I found that while yes, some foods were just going to cost us more money (since they contained real food ingredients instead of cheap high fructose corn syrup and the like) – there were many ways to keep our food budget reasonable. God knew my desires and blessed us with resources. He always provides – no matter where you live and what your circumstances.

My coupon clipping hobby has been replaced by a new healthier, money saving hobby:  Figuring out recipes for healthy meals and snacks that can be made at low cost. Seeking local sources of food that are reasonably priced, nourishing, and support our hard working neighbors and farmers. Finding deals online that are delivered right to my door – saving me gas money, time, effort, and energy. I also had to recognize that the extra I am spending in food is money I’m often saving on health care costs – even if I don’t see the difference right away.

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Want to learn to make real food meals and snacks that are low in cost? My website is full of them. Want to find local sources of food that fit your budget? Keep your ears open, ask questions of those around you, and check out LocalHarvest.org to see what is available in your area. Want to find some online deals so healthy foods can be delivered to your door? I’ll continue to share them in blog posts as I find them (often!).

What’s fun is that online stores offer sales and sometimes even coupons too! Free shipping is my friend, so I’ve learned ways to make this happen for online grocery purchases. You really can’t beat the ease of having healthy food delivered (for free!) to your door.

Here are some great online resources and deals to check out:

Amazon Groceries

Did you know you can buy all kinds of groceries at Amazon? I am always amazed at the sales Amazon offers. AND, Amazon offers many grocery coupons you can clip to add to the wonderful discounts you’re already getting. I have so much fun shopping Amazon groceries! (Some Amazon grocery coupons are for not-so-healthy foods, so if you see those, run far, far away.)

In addition, I use Swagbucks, which I redeem for Amazon gift cards. This means I can take advantage of all the great deals I find at Amazon, plus use a gift card to get the food for free or partially free! Learn more about Swagbucks here.

Price-Matching

I live in a small town, so my grocery options are not very competitive. But I have a Walmart in town that price-matches all the grocery stores an hour away from me in big cities! Taking the time to Price-Match has saved us thousands! I price match the good deals on fruits and vegetables each week and we load up.

Read more about price-matching here. I’ve found Pricematerz.com to be a fantastic resource to make the list-making easier.

What is Price-Matching and How Does it Work

Vitacost

Vitacost runs great sales, so I’ve learned to check their site frequently and stock up depending on the sale prices. If you’re a brand new customer with Vitacost, if you sign up through this referral link, you’ll receive an automatic $10 of credit to spend on your first $30 order. If you buy at least $25 worth of Vitacost brand products, you’ll receive free shipping. Or, if you don’t want any Vitacost brand items, you’ll receive free shipping once you hit $49.

Here’s a sample of how to get the most out of your Vitacost free credit:

  1. Sign up through this referral link to receive a $10 coupon code through your email.
  2. Choose $30 worth of Vitacost brand items, such as…
    Organic Slivered Almonds  $4.75
    Organic Cacao Powder  $12.89
    Organic Thompson Raisins  $3.99
    Organic Dried Apricots  $5.49
    Organic Shredded Coconut  $2.49
    Organic Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds $6.19  (such a delicious treat!)
  3. This totals $35.80 of Vitacost Brand Products. Use your referral code to receive $10 off your order. Because you still have $25 worth of Vitacost products in your cart, shipping will be free for all of those great groceries!

Once you are a customer with Vitacost, you can then refer your friends through your blog, email, facebook or twitter, and receive $10 of credit for each new customer who makes a purchase through your link! This is a wonderful way to earn some extra healthy grocery cash!

Vitacost also carries many gluten free items.

vitacost 4

iHerb

Have you ever shopped at iHerb? If so, you know how many great products they carry. If you’re a brand new customer, that means you get $10 off your first order of $40!

Here’s a sample $40 order that you can get for just $30 (with free shipping!):

Grand total for this cart full of real food is $40.15. If you are a new customer, you can use my referral code: BID487 to receive $10 off your $40+ order. That means you get all that food I mentioned – or whatever you choose to put into your cart, for just a little over $30! Shipping is free on any order over $20.

Doesn’t that list look like fun? Think of all you can make! iHerb also carries a lot of gluten free products.

Tropical Traditions

The quality of Tropical Traditions food (and health and beauty) products is incredible. They offer free shipping every few weeks. This, coupled with their buy-one-get-one-free deals is wonderful. I just posted about a great coconut oil deal with free shipping. Did you take advantage of that yet?

tropical traditions coconut oil

Don’t be discouraged as you learn new ways of purchasing food. Instead, look at it as an adventure! Have fun finding new sources for real food products. I’ll do my best to continue to make it easy for you!

This post contains affiliate links.

Want to learn all the best ways to save money?

You’ll definitely want to be a part of our Homemaker’s Savings Club! Not only do we start out by giving you a free cookbook full of our favorite low cost, real food recipes – we keep you updated with the best homemaking freebies and sale prices each week. People have saved big bucks being a part of this, not to mention time since we do all the hard work for you weeding out the so-so deals and finding all the best to tell you about!!

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Make Some Healthy Mixes. You’ll Save So Much Time and Money! {31 Days of Real Food Reality ~ Day 22}

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Make Homemade Mixes With Real Food Ingredients

Once you get the hang of making meals and snacks from real food ingredients, you’ll find that there are all sorts of ways to save time, energy, and money. This site is full of ideas, and all of my favorite, most loved and used ideas are in my book, Oh, For Real: Real Food, Real Family, Real Easy. Having that book means you have all of my best tips and recipes right in your kitchen! Read about the book here.

One of the tasks I do often in an effort to prepare real food in a short amount of time is to make homemade mixes. Everything from salad dressing and dip mixes to homemade bisquik-type mixes are available for purchase, and you can even find healthier varieties of each. But they can be pricey!! Plus, you don’t get to choose the ingredients in those. Making these mixes at home saves a wad of money, plus tastes even better, in my opinion.

Below are the mix recipes I’ve shared on this site. Take some time to put a few of them together and see if you don’t save lots of time and money on these healthy, real foods!

Taco Seasoning Mix

I use the Taco Seasoning Mix for tacos and fajitas, for Taco Potatoes, Taco Corn Fritters, and any recipe I come across that calls for packaged taco seasoning mix.

Ranch Salad Dressing Mix

This one is my favorite! I use Ranch Salad Dressing for salad dressing and dip, of course. But I also use it in Cheddar Ranch Burgers, Turkey Ranch Pinwheels, Ranch Potato Wedges, Ranch Cheese Ball, and many other recipes that call for ranch dressing or ranch seasoning packets.

Italian Salad Dressing Mix

Beyond salad dressing, I use Italian Salad Dressing Mix to marinate meat, to make Italian Cream Cheese Chicken, Italian Pasta Bake, Italian Roast Wraps, Italian Stew, and many other recipes that call for Italian dressing or Italian seasoning packets.

Homemade Italian Salad Dressing

Onion Soup Mix

This Onion Soup Mix is great to have on hand for dips and seasoning, as well as to make this great One Dish Meat And Potato Casserole.

Quick Baking Mix

I can’t say enough good about the Whole Wheat Quick Baking Mix! I love having this on hand for Quick Mix Biscuits, Quick Mix Fruit Pizza, Quick Mix Honey Cinnamon Muffins, Quick Mix Very Vanilla Cookies, Quick Mix Pancakes, and more recipes which call for baking mix. (There are more recipes in my book too.)

Whole Wheat Quick Mix

Having these mixes in my pantry (or freezer) means that all I have to do is grab what I need and throw it in a bowl or cooking pot. In just a few minutes, I have made salad dressing, seasoned my meat, started a meal in the crock pot, or mixed up a batch of dough. So, so easy and yummy.

What mixes have you tried making yourself? Which are your favorites?

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